Honkbalsite.com is reporting on Wednesday that the Dutch national team infielder Roel Koolen of CORENDON KINHEIM announced his retirement at the age of 26. He informed his club about the decision at the beginning of December. He wants to concentrate fulltime on his work career.
Koolen made his Hoofdklasse debut in the Netherlands for the TWINS in 1998. In 2000 he signed with DOOR NEPTUNUS and won the Holland Series 2001, 2002, 2004 (MVP) and 2005. In addition he was a member of five European Cup Winners with the Rotterdam-base club. During his time with NEPTUNUS he also had a two-year stint with the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he played for the VCU Rams.
He moved to KINHEIM in 2006 and helped reaching the Holland Series three years in a row, winning in 2006 and 2007. He also won two more European Cups with CORENDON. In 2008 he batted .308 (SLG .383) with six doubles, two triples, 23 runs scored and 24 RBIs as the starting shortstop for the vice champion in the Dutch major league. He was third in the league with 13 stolen bases.
Koolen made his debut for the national team in 2000 and played in 39 games. He started at second base for the Netherlands at the Baseball World Cup in Taiwan last year and in the Beijing Olympics last August.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl